Seems like it's cool to hate on RIM right now, just like it was 'cool' to hate on Motorola before the Droid. No matter what people think BlackBerry is not going anywhere anytime soon. They still have a healthy user base and brand perception that RIM can fall back on for a bit while they innovate and play catch-up, which I sincerely hope they do.
It's funny how all the technophiles here dismiss BlackBerry as a 'business' device. I'm a college student and from what I see RIM has a very strong foothold in the consumer market, which they have been steadily establishing since they released the original Pearl. If it's not iPhone, it's BlackBerry. I would say most mobile Facebook updates I see are 'via BlackBerry' - and I notice new friends switching to BB all the time. Android barely registers - the brand just isn't there yet.
The BlackBerry brand definitely has cachet, and I would argue that's just as or perhaps more important to consumers than tech specs (hello iPhone?). I just hope RIM doesn't rest on that for too long because, of course, brand perception changes.
No, you're right. All the comments in news posts about BlackBerry have been generally negative, and it's probably influenced by the tone in which the articles are written in.
The journalists don't seem to mention that the iPhone / iOS interface is getting... how did they put it... "stodgy."
People on tech blogs are so oblivious to other ppl's preferences it's quite scary. Each OS has pros and cons and really it's up to the indiv. users to decide and w/e their choice, they are all the right choices.
very true. I have a colleague who upgraded an older blackberry world phone to a droid incredible.. and they hate it. I was totally shocked.. but they basically said they missed the general feel of the blackberry, keyboard and the central thumb control and that with Android their productivity was noticeably lower - especially in email.
I think that this person isn't alone.. a lot of people - even in this iPhone and Android world - really do like their blackberry devices.
@aluglu I agree with your points that people hate to hate and that Blackberry is popular with consumers but Android has registered, tons of people have everything from Droids to myTouches and Android is selling like hotcakes as an army.
If it's not an iPhone, it's a Blackberry or Android device. Android isn't up and coming anymore, it's arrived. The Droid alone sold millions.
@aluglu Maybe you should read up on their financial outlook. Their first quarter earnings are down the tubes and most analysts no longer see them as anything but a niche market for corporate users. Their hardware and software are years behind the curve already, what makes you think they will suddenly become an 'innovative' company and leapfrog Google and Apple? Motorola was saved by Android, who's going to save RIM?
So, they joined together a Storm and a Bold, added new icons and a Webkit browser but did nothing to innovate the app catalog?
The apps are a central part to any smart phone now. The web browser and all of its functions were designed for screens double the size, with a full keyboard and mouse to navigate.
As computers shrink into mobile phones, there has to be any easier way to interact with the information on the internet. We know how Apple, Google, and Microsoft intend to do that. With their respective app catalogs, voice search, etc. How will the Blackberry do that? I don’t see RIM answering that question.
An evolution of the BB form, but nothing different to meaningfully interact with content on the internet.
All Google or MS has to do at this point is a quick once over with their software, and release a competing hardware form factor. BB will continue to lock up corporate customers with this design, but they are offering very little new for regular consumers.
RIMs market is now the super cheap market. You can have a BB 85xx for free to 50 bucks. There is a reason for mass adoption and its because its dirt cheap.
Even then...i believe there was a story run just yesterday citing RIMs US marketshare as on a drastic slide to Android while iOS has remained relatively flat. This mind you is with RIM posting recording breaking quarters
199 for a phone much weaker than the iPhone 4 (and 3GS imho) or Android offerings at the same price point. There is a reason more than half of people who own a BB now want a different platform.
This is RIMs last chance to be compelling, they have moved slowly forward after dragging ass for the past 3 years. It might be a little too late for them if the 9800 is all they can muster up.
Thank God, Engadget crowd != World. Otherwise, we'd all have to carry around a brick in the name of huge touchscreens and super uber 2Ghz CPUs.
"OMG it's a Palm Pre clone!" Is the Moto Droid a N97 clone then because it also has horizontal sliding kboard? But even if it is, so what? If the Palm Pre form factor was acceptable back then, why wouldn't it be now? Just because it's one year later? Does a phone needs to have a completely original form factor in order to be successful?
I really question the intelligence (and age) of some people here. Well, I guess we shouldn't expect to find any sign of intelligence from haters.
The X-Fi3 keeps with the company's commitment to audio fidelity, thanks to the apt-X codec, which supposedly offers audio quality similar to a wired connection when streaming. On that front, the device also handles FLAC files.
The most commented posts on Engadget over the past 24 hours.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Seems like it's cool to hate on RIM right now, just like it was 'cool' to hate on Motorola before the Droid. No matter what people think BlackBerry is not going anywhere anytime soon. They still have a healthy user base and brand perception that RIM can fall back on for a bit while they innovate and play catch-up, which I sincerely hope they do.
It's funny how all the technophiles here dismiss BlackBerry as a 'business' device. I'm a college student and from what I see RIM has a very strong foothold in the consumer market, which they have been steadily establishing since they released the original Pearl. If it's not iPhone, it's BlackBerry. I would say most mobile Facebook updates I see are 'via BlackBerry' - and I notice new friends switching to BB all the time. Android barely registers - the brand just isn't there yet.
The BlackBerry brand definitely has cachet, and I would argue that's just as or perhaps more important to consumers than tech specs (hello iPhone?). I just hope RIM doesn't rest on that for too long because, of course, brand perception changes.
@aluglu No one mentioned hating BlackBerry but yourself. Seriously, where did you pull that information from?
@s2m0 Just getting my word in before all the haters get here - come on, you know they're coming, haha
@aluglu
No, you're right. All the comments in news posts about BlackBerry have been generally negative, and it's probably influenced by the tone in which the articles are written in.
The journalists don't seem to mention that the iPhone / iOS interface is getting... how did they put it... "stodgy."
@aluglu
People on tech blogs are so oblivious to other ppl's preferences it's quite scary. Each OS has pros and cons and really it's up to the indiv. users to decide and w/e their choice, they are all the right choices.
And I'm Android user btw.
@Shadow08 Theres a huge difference. iOS is 4 years old compared to what 6 years of BB OS? Blackberry is getting stale and the new survey shows that.
@aluglu
very true. I have a colleague who upgraded an older blackberry world phone to a droid incredible.. and they hate it. I was totally shocked.. but they basically said they missed the general feel of the blackberry, keyboard and the central thumb control and that with Android their productivity was noticeably lower - especially in email.
I think that this person isn't alone.. a lot of people - even in this iPhone and Android world - really do like their blackberry devices.
@aluglu I agree with your points that people hate to hate and that Blackberry is popular with consumers but Android has registered, tons of people have everything from Droids to myTouches and Android is selling like hotcakes as an army.
If it's not an iPhone, it's a Blackberry or Android device. Android isn't up and coming anymore, it's arrived. The Droid alone sold millions.
@aluglu
Maybe you should read up on their financial outlook. Their first quarter earnings are down the tubes and most analysts no longer see them as anything but a niche market for corporate users. Their hardware and software are years behind the curve already, what makes you think they will suddenly become an 'innovative' company and leapfrog Google and Apple? Motorola was saved by Android, who's going to save RIM?
@aluglu
So, they joined together a Storm and a Bold, added new icons and a Webkit browser but did nothing to innovate the app catalog?
The apps are a central part to any smart phone now. The web browser and all of its functions were designed for screens double the size, with a full keyboard and mouse to navigate.
As computers shrink into mobile phones, there has to be any easier way to interact with the information on the internet. We know how Apple, Google, and Microsoft intend to do that. With their respective app catalogs, voice search, etc. How will the Blackberry do that? I don’t see RIM answering that question.
An evolution of the BB form, but nothing different to meaningfully interact with content on the internet.
All Google or MS has to do at this point is a quick once over with their software, and release a competing hardware form factor. BB will continue to lock up corporate customers with this design, but they are offering very little new for regular consumers.
@aluglu
Haters goin' hate!
@aluglu
RIMs market is now the super cheap market. You can have a BB 85xx for free to 50 bucks. There is a reason for mass adoption and its because its dirt cheap.
Even then...i believe there was a story run just yesterday citing RIMs US marketshare as on a drastic slide to Android while iOS has remained relatively flat. This mind you is with RIM posting recording breaking quarters
199 for a phone much weaker than the iPhone 4 (and 3GS imho) or Android offerings at the same price point. There is a reason more than half of people who own a BB now want a different platform.
This is RIMs last chance to be compelling, they have moved slowly forward after dragging ass for the past 3 years. It might be a little too late for them if the 9800 is all they can muster up.
@aluglu
Thank God, Engadget crowd != World. Otherwise, we'd all have to carry around a brick in the name of huge touchscreens and super uber 2Ghz CPUs.
"OMG it's a Palm Pre clone!" Is the Moto Droid a N97 clone then because it also has horizontal sliding kboard? But even if it is, so what? If the Palm Pre form factor was acceptable back then, why wouldn't it be now? Just because it's one year later? Does a phone needs to have a completely original form factor in order to be successful?
I really question the intelligence (and age) of some people here. Well, I guess we shouldn't expect to find any sign of intelligence from haters.